Dustin Pedroia’s surgery set for Tuesday; Extent to be determined

According to Dustin Pedroia, the second baseman is slated to have surgery on the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb Nov. 12. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Donald Sheridan in Arizona.

Sheridan — who has operated on Pedroia multiple times — has suggested to the player that the procedure might include the grafting of a ligament from another part of his body (perhaps from the wrist). If the graft is executed, Pedroia suggested he will be able to return to activities with his thumb in 6-8 weeks.

“It’s not a big deal,” said Pedroia from his Arizona home (while watching the movie ‘The Natural’). “It would be just a couple of more weeks.”

Pedroia said he is scheduled to meet with Sheridan Nov. 11, at which point he will receive the doctor’s findings after examining the most recent MRI.

The second baseman injured the thumb while diving into first base Opening Day in New York. Pedroia managed the ailment with the help of the team’s training staff, ending up playing in a total of 176 games between the regular season and postseason. He finished the 2013 campaign hitting .301 with a .787 OPS, missing just two games.

“Every day is different,” he said during the Red Sox‘ last road trip of the regular season. “However you feel that day, that’s what you have to try to do on the field. If something hurts, you have to try and be smarter and get another pitch to hit. Like last year, if I couldn’t hit a ball in, I wouldn’t swing at it. You have to be smart, figure out how to play and be the best you can.

“There have been times in the past where I’ve taken more of chance to drive the ball. This year I haven’t really taken that many chances. You haven’t really seen me take a huge swing on a 2-0 pitch, where in years past I would take that chance trying to hit a home run. I’ve just tried to stay within myself, get on base and play the game.

“If you’re an everyday player, nobody is 100 percent. You’re going to have something, so you have to figure out how to perform within your ability and play well.”